Garbage can carrier

ABSTRACT

A carrier for garbage cans or the like comprising an elongated post including a can-handle-grasping pair of hooks mounted toward the upper end thereof and a can-seating straplike cradle mounted toward the lower end thereof. An elongated wheel axle extends transversely through the post and the post-mounted portion of the cradle. Ground-engaging wheels are mounted on the outer extremities of the axle whereby a rolling support for the carrier is provided.

United States Patent Inventor [72] Jules Edlin 330 East 59th St., NewYork, N.Y. 10022 [2|] Appl. No. 857,447 [22] Filed Sept. 12, 1969 [45]Patented Aug. 10, 1971 [54] GARBAGE CAN CARRIER 4 Claims, 4 DrawingFigs.

[51] Int. Cl. B62b 1/06 [50] Field olSeu'ch 280/4724,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,417,918 3/1947 Fatur280/4724 X 2,66l,982 12/1953 Hudson 280/4724 X 2,704,165 3/1955 Hoover280/4724 X 3,376,986 4/1968 Farber i a 280/4724 X Primary ExaminerLeoFriaglia Assistant Examiner-John A. Pekar Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brienand Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A carrier for garbage cans or the likecomprising an elongated post including a, can-handle-grasping pair ofhooks mounted toward the upper end thereof and a can-seating straplikecradle mounted toward the lower end thereof. An elongated wheel axleextends transversely through the post and the post-mounted portion ofthe cradle. Ground-engaging wheels are mounted on the outer extremitiesof the axle whereby a rolling support for the carrier is provided.

PATENTED mm 0191: 3 598 420 Jules Ed/in INVENTOR.

W My GARBAGE CAN CARRIER The instant invention is generally concernedwith carriers, and more particularly relates to a lightweight carrierparticularly adapted for use in conjunction with garbage cans and thelike.

'It is'a primary object of the instant invention to provide means forfacilitating the handling of garbage or trash cans. As will be readilyappreciated, the raising and moving ofa loaded garbage can can be adifficult, and in many instances unpleasant, task, requiring substantialphysical effort. it is to avoid the physical effort and unplcasantnessassociated with the movement of garbage cans that the instant inventionhas been devised.

Primarily, with the garbage can carrier herein set forth, a user can,through merely a manipulation of the carrier itself, and withouttouching the can, raise the can off the ground onto a wheel support androll the can, without danger of tipping, spilling or falling, to anydesired location. The major weight of the can is maintained by thecarrier itself, the user of the carrier avoiding the necessity of anybending or direct lifting, or for that matter any direct contact withthe can itself in that the raising, transporting and depositing of thecan is effected solely through a manipulation of the carrier at thehandle end thereof.

Also of significance in providing a carrier contemplated to function asa labor saving device of the type with which we are herein concerned isthe fact that the instant invention is of an extremely rigid and stableconstruction, while at the same time being lightweight, compact for easystorage, and in fact capable of being disassembled for shipping purposesand the like.

The objects of the instant invention are achieved through the provisionof a device which consists basically of an elongated central post, ahandgrip on the upper end of the post, a pair of laterally projectinghandle-engaging hooks adjustably affixed to the upper portion of thepost, a cradle-forming arcuate strap affixed to the lower portion of thepost, and a pair of relatively widely spaced wheels rotatably supportingthe lower end of the post through an elongated axle which extendsthrough both the lower end portion of the post and the postencirclingportion of the cradle-forming strap.

These together with the objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the carrier of the instant invention ina can-transportingposition;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on aplane passing along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on aplane passing along line 3-3in FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken substantiallyon a plane passing along line 44 in H0. 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral I isused to generally designate the carrier comprising the instantinvention. This carrier l0 includes an elongated main support member orpost l2, preferably in the nature of a hollow rigid tube. Thcupper endof the post 12, the end from which a control of the carrier is to beeffected, is provided with an enlarged handgrip'.l4, includingfinger-conforming portions for insuring apositive grasping thereof.

The carrier 10 incorporatcsa pair of supportandtransporting wheels l6rotatably supported on an elongated axle 18 which extends transverselythrough the lower portion of the post 12 and positions the wheels 16laterally outward to the opposite sides of the post; A ean'receivingcradle is positioned between the wheels 16 and fixed to the post l2 forture of a can body. The central portion of the strap-formed cradle 20includes a rearwardly offset post encircling portion 24 which is snuglyreceived about the post 12. Noting FIG. 2 in particular, when the post12 is seated within the rearwardly offset portion 24 of the cradle 20,the arcuate portions of the cradle-forming strap to the opposite sidesof the post align with the forward portion of the post 12 so as. to ineffect form a continuous can-supporting cradle, the depth of the offsetportion 24 generally corresponding to the exterior diameter of the post12. The actual mounting of the cradle 20, and more particularly theoffset portion 24, to the post 12 is effected by extending the wheelaxle 18 through a pair of aligned holes in the sides of the portion 24which in turn align with an axle-receiving passage through the post 12,the axle 18 thus assisting in the mounting and stabilization of thecradle 20, while at the same time being itself mounted on the post 12.The completion of the mounting of the axle l8 and cradle 20 is effectedby a fastener 26, in the nature of a bolt and nut, cotter pin, or thelike, extended from front to rear through the post 12, the post receivedportion of the axle l8, and the bright section of the rearwardly offsetportion 24.

The actual grasping and lifting of the can 22 is effected by a pair offorwardly directed books 28 positioned toward the upper portion of thepost 12 below the handgrip 14. These books 28 are actually defined by apair of inwardly angled recesses 30 formed in the forward portions of apair of laterally spaced forwardly projecting platelike arms 32constituting the opposed end portions of a platelike rigid memberconfigured so as to embrace the upper portion of the post 12. Thismember includes a central rearwardly offset portion 34 which, notingFIG. 3 in particular, snugly seats the post 12 therein, lying againstthe sides and about the rear thereof. This rearwardly offset portionterminates, in general alignment with the forward face of the post l2,in a pair of integral laterally outwardly projecting wings 36 which inturn are integrally formed with the inner ends of the hook-defining armportions 32, thereby spacing the books 28 laterally from each other soas to engage the carrier handle 38 at laterally spaced points whereby apositive and a stabilizing grip on the handle 38, and hence the can 22,is effected. The actual fixing of the hook-forming member to the post 12is effected by means of a transverse nutted bolt 40 or the likeextending through the opposed sides of the rearwardly offset portion 34and through the portion of the post 12 sandwiched therebetween. In orderto accommodate the carrier 10 .to cans of different heights, it will benoted that the post 12 is provided with a series of holes 42therethrough for the selective accommodation of the fastener 40 and themounting of the hook-forming member in a vertically adjusted position.

From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that a highly uniquecarrier has been defined. While this carrier is particularly adapted forthe carrying of garbage cans or the like, it will of course beappreciated that substantially any type of canor container can beaccommodated thereby, as long as the container includes upper meanswhich can be engaged by the grasping and raising hooks 28. The carrieritself is adjustable, lightweight, compact, and capable of being easilyassembled and disassembled for both storage and shipping purposes,requiring in effect only the utilization of two fasteners in themounting of the hooks, cradle and wheel supports. In use, the handle orsimilar upper portion of a can is engaged by the laterally spaced books,which incidentally are rearwardly angled so as to provide a positivenonslip engagement with the can handle and are laterally spaced so as toprovide for a stable nontilting gripping. The carrier is then swungrearwardly, pulling the can upwardly and at' the same time tilting thecan so as to bring the lower portion thereof into seated engagement withthe arcuate cradle formed on the lower portion of the carrierimmediately between'the laterally spaced wheels. The can is then firmlysupportedon the carrier and can be easily transported to any desiredsite througha mere rolling of the carrier along the groundor floor. Whenthe can is to be redeposited on the ground, the carrier is merely swungto the vertical, the lower portion of the can swinging outwardly awayfrom the cradle and seating on the ground, the continued forwardswinging of the carrier dropping the hooks 28 away from the can handlefor a complete release of the can. Thus, it will be appreciated that theraising, transporting and depositing of the can can be effectedutilizing a single hand and without any direct contact between the userand the can.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What I claim as new is as follows:

1. A carrier for cans or the like comprising an elongated post, handlemeans on one end of said post, ground-engaging wheel means on the secondend of said post, can-grasping and -raising hook means mounted on thepost adjacent the first end thereof, and can-cradling means mounted onsaid post adjacent the second end thereof whereby, through a swinging ofthe first post end about the wheel means, the hook means can be engagedwith the upper portion of a can and the can swung upwardly so as to seatwithin the can-cradling means, said wheel means comprising a pair ofwheels positioned laterally outward to the opposite sides of the secondend of the post, and an elongated axle mounting the wheels and in turnbeing mounted on said post, said can-cradling means comprising anelongated arcuately formed rigid strap affixed to said post between thewheels, the strap including a central rearwardly offset portion whichencircles the post, said wheel axle extending through the offset portionof the strap and the portion of the post encircled thereby, and fastenermeans interlocking said post, offset strap portion, and axle.

2. The carrier of claim I wherein said fastener means comprises a rigidmember extending through the post, axle and offset strap portionperpendicularly to the-axle.

3. The carrier of claim 2 wherein said hook means comprise a pair oflaterally spaced hooks defined on the forward end portions of anelongated member, the central portion of which is offset so as to extendabout and snugly seat the post toward the second end thereof, andfastener means engaged through the offset portion of the hook-formingmember and the portion of the post received therein.

4. The carrier of claim 3 wherein said post includes a series of holesat longitudinally spaced points therealong toward the second end thereoffor the selective reception of the fastener means utilized in mountingthe member incorporating the hooks on the ends thereof.

1. A carrier for cans or the like comprising an elongated post, handlemeans on one end of said post, ground-engaging wheel means on the secondend of said post, can-grasping-and-raising hook means mounted on thepost adjacent the first end thereof, and can-cradling means mounted onsaid post adjacent the second end thereof whereby, through a swinging ofthe first post end about the wheel means, the hook means can be engagedwith the upper portion of a can and the can swung upwardly so as to seatwithin the can-cradling means, said wheel means comprising a pair ofwheels positioned laterally outward to the opposite sides of the secondend of the post, and an elongated axle mounting the wheels and in turnbeing mounted on said post, said can-cradling means comprising anelongated arcuately formed rigid strap affixed to said post between thewheels, the strap including a central rearwardly offset portion whichencircles the post, said wheel axle extending through the offset portionof the strap and the portion of the post encircled thereby, and fastenermeans interlocking said post, offset strap portion, and axle.
 2. Thecarrier of claim 1 wherein said fastener means comprises a rigid memberextending through the post, axle and offset strap portionperpendicularly to the axle.
 3. The carrier of claim 2 wherein said hookmeans comprise a pair of laterally spaced hooks defined on the forwardend portions of an elongated member, the central portion of which isoffset so as to extend about and snugly seat the post toward the secondend thereof, and fastener means engaged through the offset portion ofthe hook-forming member aNd the portion of the post received therein. 4.The carrier of claim 3 wherein said post includes a series of holes atlongitudinally spaced points therealong toward the second end thereoffor the selective reception of the fastener means utilized in mountingthe member incorporating the hooks on the ends thereof.